From Chris Good at The Atlantic comes the reminder that when it comes to politics, ol’ Niccolo Machiavelli had this stuff figured out 500 years ago.
Thinking in the context of the health care debate and why the democrats seem (comparatively) so weak in their level of support:
It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order, this lukewarmness arising partly from fear of their adversaries, who have the laws in their favor; and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it. Thus it arises that on every opportunity for attacking the reformer, his opponents do so with the zeal of partisans, the others only defend him half-heartedly, so that between them he runs great danger.
In other words, if you really support health insurance reform, you need to let your congresspeople know in positive ways. They need their spines stiffened for the upcoming battle.
